


The best of dreams (and the worst of nightmares)

by EmilyScarlett



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Blood, Bruises, M/M, Nightmares, Swearing, mentions of child abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-08
Updated: 2017-06-08
Packaged: 2018-11-11 09:19:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11145486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmilyScarlett/pseuds/EmilyScarlett
Summary: Andrew has a nightmare and accidentally hurts Neil when he wakes up.





	The best of dreams (and the worst of nightmares)

**Author's Note:**

> Posted here by request, now with proper formatting.

By now Neil was used to being woken by Andrew’s nightmares on the nights they shared a bed. It didn’t happen every time, of course, but it was often enough that he knew now how best to deal with the situation.

 

Though most times he didn’t have to deal with it from the floor while trying to curb a bloody nose.

 

“Andrew.  _ Andrew!  _ It’s me. It’s only me. Neil. I’m not gonna hurt you.”

Neil watched as Andrew’s eyes cleared and focused, no longer lost in the horror of his past. Slowly, they focused on Neil’s face. He stared in silence.

 

“Shit, are you bleeding?” Kevin asked, having been woken by the noise.

“Out,” ordered Neil, in a fierce enough voice that Kevin obeyed instantaneously.

 

“I’m fine,” he said, hurriedly. Andrew simply stared at him before striding into the bathroom. He was back before Neil could worry, their first aid kit in his hand.

 

“Don’t tip your head back, you fucking idiot,” he growled when he saw what Neil was doing. He tended to the injury with methodical care that didn't  _ seem _ gentle, but somehow didn’t cause Neil a single bit of pain. He was silent as he cleaned away the supplies he’d used.

“I’ve had worse,” ventured Neil, the words a probe to test the waters of Andrew’s mood.

“Shut up.”

“It barely even hurts-”

“ _ Shut up. _ ”

“You didn’t-”

Neil fell silent as Andrew abruptly left, slamming the door behind him.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Andrew didn’t return until late the next morning and he didn’t look at Neil when he did. Nor did he reply to Kevin’s angry demands to know why he’d missed practise that morning. He simply walked by, and Neil knew he was heading to the roof. He followed and found Andrew standing at the roof edge with two lit cigarettes in his hand.

“I’m fine,” Neil spoke into the silence between them. Andrew just stared at him.

“Really. The bruises will fade in a week or two. It was just an accident, Andrew.”

Nothing.

“The bruising will be gone in a week or two and it’s nothing like the worst I’ve ever had-”

“ _ Stop.” _

Neil stopped _._

 

“Don’t you dare,” Andrew hissed. “Don’t you  _ dare _ say that this is alright because it isn’t as bad that what  _ they _ did. _ ”  _ The _ ‘ _ they’ being all encompassing of anyone who’d ever hurt him, Neil knew.

“This is  _ nothing _ like what they did,” Neil argued, stepping closer to Andrew but not touching. “Do you think they patched me up afterwards? That they ever did it unintentionally? That they were  _ sorry?  _ It’s not the same Andrew, and fuck you for even implying that it is. If I say I’m ok then I am, ok? You don’t get to decide that I’m not. _ ” _

Andrew stared at him for a moment.

“You take shit care of yourself,” he said, finally. Neil laughed.

“Look who’s talking,” he replied, taking one of the two cigarette from Andrew, knowing that they were ok again now.


End file.
